Electric timing mechanism



June 10, 1941. a mTTENHOUSE 2,245,443

ELECTRIC, TIMING MECHANISM I Filed Sept. 18. 1940 Patented June 10,. 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC TIMING MECHANISM v Lloyd Rittenhonse, Honeoye Falls, N. Y., assignor to The A. E. Rittenhonse 00., Inc.. Honeoye Falls, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application September 18, 1940, Serial No. 357,304

8 Claims.

- member.

Among other applications, the invention has practical utility in the governing of several circuits of a chime signal, where'a group of chimes are successively struck by electric striker mechanisms, and it is an object of the invention to ail'ord a structure that is compact and requires little space, one which can be produced at considerably less cost than timing mechanisms such as heretofore used, and which will serve eflectively upon the .closing of a switch to operate automatically several chimes by closing their striker mechanism circuits at suitable predetermined intervals- In a more specific aspect, the invention has for its purpose to provide a timing mechanism of improved construction in which a movable circuit controlling member is actuated in one direction by a solenoid, and its return movement to chime striker mechanisms are successively closed and opened.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an arrangement that permits the successful use of asolenoid plunger which is given a retarded return movement by liquid controlled means by arranging the solenoid in a housing that is completely leak-proof and permanently retains the liquid surrounding the solenoid.-

A further purpose of the invention is to aflord a durable and reliable mechanism that doesnot require brackets, rivets, welds, or other such iastening instrumentalities for holding the solenoid in the housing, the solenoid being retained by parts which frictionally engage the housing and which also serve with the housing to complete the magnetic circuit of the solenoid.

An additionalipurposeoi the invention is to provide a structure that requires no fine machining or close fitting parts i's not likely to require servicing, and which can be used to practical advantage wherever there is, necessity for exertingpredetermined time control over the closing of a plurality of electric circuits, or for permitting a single circuit to remain closed for a predetermined length of time.

To these and other ends, the invention consists in the construction and arrangement of parts that will appear clearly from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, the novel features being pointed out in the claims following the specification.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view'of a structure built in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, showing the solenoid plunger and circuit controlling member in initial position, prior to closing the solenoid controlling circuit;

Fig. 2 is a similar view, illustrating the position of the solenoid plunger and circuit controlling member in the position occupied after the plunger has been actuated to its lowermost position and stazted its return movement, the circuit controlling member being shown in position to close the first circuit of the series, the lowermost position of the solenoid plunger and circuit controlling member being shown in dotted lines;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view of the circuits to the chime striker mechanisms, and the controlling ,circuit' therefor.

The invention is applicable in various relationships wherever it is essential to provide a low cost structure occupying a small space with parts compactly arranged, particularly in such applications as small chime signals, although it has many other possible uses wherever one or more electric circuits are to be governed by a timing mechanism, and the embodiment illustrated shows the invention as applied to a chime signal circuit including three individual chime bars and electric striker mechanisms, adapted to be successively operated at predetermined intervals, when the controlling circuit is closed.

Referring more particularly to thedrawing, in which like-reference numerals refer to the same parts throughout the several views, and to Fig. 6, l and 2 designate conductors leading from a suitable transformer in a power circuit, the conductor I being grounded, and conductor 2 inpush'button switch a is in a conductor that leads toa terminal 4 of the timing mechanism to be clude plungers and strikers arranged to sound the chime bars 9, id and ii respectively, as usual in this class of apparatus.

' the push button switch is closed, the timing mechanism causes the solenoids just referred to to be operated successively at predetermined intervals, the solenoid 8 being operated twice, both at the beginning and end of the cycle, causing the described presently, while conductor leads from conductor 2 to the solenoids 6, 'l and B which in:-

that carries the terminals and is pressed tightly into the housing to aflord a liquid-tight seal preventing the leakage of oil.

The closure 85 has :3. depending preferably integral supporting post 87. The terminals i2,i3, Id and i5 are embedded in said closure or insulating head 38, extending through the same, and

at their lower ends have attached. thereto by soldering or in any suitable manner the conductors which extend thence around the insulating supporting post 3? in suitable annular grooves chime bars to be struck correspondingly. The

general arrangement of mechanism thus far described is of conventional character and forms no part of the present invention, except as to the timing mechanism, which will now be set forth in detail.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the structure in- I cludes a housing or shell that is preferably cylindrical and drawn from a single piece of metal so as to avoid a seam or joint, and as shown includes an enlarged body portion I! and a reduced lower end portion or well 68, although it is not essential that the lower end portion be of reduced cross-section.

Between the reduced lower end portion i8 and I the body portion I l is provided a ledge i9 upon which rests a metal supporting plate 20, the edge of which engages the housing, and which is provided with openings 2i to permit passage of oil therethrough. Supported-on the plate 2.0 is a solenoid coil 22 positioned between insulating end 23 oi the solenoid. The retaining plate 25 isdriven or pressed in the housing and holds the solenoid tightly in place without the necessity of brackets, rivets, welds, screws, or other'fastening means. The plates 26 and 23 both engage the housing at their edges and the tube 2d at the center, and thus complete the magnetic circuit 39, and thence through transverse openings 39 in the post 37. The end or each conductor is nected'to it a conductor 42 that leads from its lower end to the solenoid 22.

it is a coil spring surrounding the plunger 29 above the retaining plate 25 which is fixed in the housing, the lower end of said spring being bent downwardly and engaging one of the openings 2b in said plate 25, while its upper end is bent around the arm 3i. The spring, thus acts to return the plunger upwardly to its initial position when released and alsoto turn the plunger and retain the circuit controlling member or arm 3i against the supporting post 31 during the endwise movement of the plunger after it has been drawn downwardly by the closing of the circuit to coil 22 through manual operation of the push button 3, and when the latter is released.

The housing ii is filled with oil or other suitable ,liquid up to the level indicated, and as the plunger 29 is drawn quickly downwardly when solenoid 22 is energized, it forces the oil from tube 24 downwardly and outwardly past ball 21. Upon upward movement of the plunger 29, the spring 28 returns the ball 27 into engagement with the lower end oi the tube 2 3, and prevents fast movement of the oil into the tube, but permits it to movedn slowly around the ball 27, the oil also passing slowly into the top of the tube E i and downwardly around the plunger 29. The

openings 25 in the retaining plate 25, and openwhich extends through the tube, plates, and

housing. 7

The bottom edge of tube 26, within which the solenoid plunger is movable, engages a ball 21! that is seated in a conical spring =28, the latter The solenoid plunger movable within the tube 26 is designated at 29, and carries a circuitcontrolling member or arm iii, which operates to close successively the several solenoid circuits to the striker mechanisms already mentioned, whenthe solenoid plunger 29 is operated. the latter ings 2i in the lower plate 20, permit free movement of the oil from around the coil 22 downwardly into the well IS, the action of the oil retarding upward movement of the plunger 29,

of the spring in returning the plunger'upwardly, 1'

is greatest at the beginning of the movement when its compression is greatest, and to compensate for this, the distance between the contacts may be decreased upwardly so as to attain a substantially uniform interval between the successive circuit closing operations.

The operation of the device briefly described is as follows: Assuming the plunger to be in its uppermost position as shown in Fig. 1, by operating the push button hthe'circuit to solenoid 22 is closed, causing plunger 29 to be drawn quickly downwardly to its lowest point with the circuit controlling member or arm 3! in the dotted line position indicated in Fig. 2, and somewhat beneath the lowest contact 32. The plunger will remain in this position as long as the switch 3;

is closed, and upon release of the latter, the spring 43, which has been compressed, acts to move the' plunger upwardly, such upward movement being suitably retarded by the action of valve 21 that prevents fast movement of the oil into the tube 24 behind the plunger.

In this fashion, the circuit controlling member 3| moves slowly upwardly over the contacts 32, 33, 34 and 35, and thus successively closing the circuits to solenoids 8, 1, 6 and 8, causing the chime bars to be struck correspondingly: While the arm 3| passes these contacts on its downward movement, it is only an instantaneous engagement, the plunger traveling downwardly at such a speed under the impulse of the solenoid that it does not maintain engagement with the contacts sufiiciently long to affect the solenoids in the striker mechanism circuits.

While the. invention has been described with reference to the structural details herein disclosed, it is not confined to this particular em- 1. An electric timing mechanism including a housing of conducting material, a solenoid arranged in the housing, a solenoid plunger movable in the solenoid, spring means for returning the plunger to initial position when released, fluid controlled means acting to retard the return movement of the plunror, a circuit controlling member carried by the plunger, a closure of insulating material, a series of terminals carried by said closure, one of said terminals being connected with the aforementioned solenoid, a support ofinsulating material carried by said closure and extending inside the housing parallel to said plunger, and a series of contacts arranged in spaced relation endwise of said support to be engaged by said circuit controlling'member as the plunger moves endwise and connected with the aforesaid terminals on the closure.

2. An electric timing mechanism including a housing of conducting material, a solenoid held frictionally in the housing, a solenoid plunger movable in the solenoid, spring means for returning the plunger to initial position' when released, fluid controlled means acting to retard the return movement of the plunger, a. circuit controlling member carried by the plunger, a liquid-tight closure of insulating material, a series of terminals carried by said closure, one of said terminals being connected with the aforementioned solenoid, a support of insulating material carried by said closure and extending inside the housing parallel to said plunger, and a series of contacts on said support disposed for engagement by said circuit controlling member on the plunger and I connected to said terminals.

3. An electric timing mechanism including an integral housing closed at one end, a solenoid in the housing, supporting and retaining plates engaging the solenoid and housing and acting to hold the solenoid frictionally in the housing, a solenoid plunger movable in the solenoid, spring means for returning the plunger to initial position when released, fluid controlled means acting to retard the return movement of the plunger, a circuit controlling member carried by the plunger, a liquid-tight closure of insulating material, a series of terminals carried by said closure, one of said terminals being connected with the aforementioned solenoid, a support of insulating material carried by said closure and extending inside the housing parallel to said plunger, and a series of contacts on said support disposed for engagement by said circuit controlling member as the plunger moves endwise and connected to said terminals on the closure.

4. An electric timing mechanism including a housing closed at one end, a solenoid in the housing; a solenoid plunger movable in the solenoid, a circuit controlling member carried by said plunger, spring means acting to return the plunger to initial position when released, liquid controlled means acting to retard the return movement of the plunger, a closure of insulating material at the opposite end of the housing, a series of terminals carried by said closure, a support of insulating material carried by said closure and extending inside the housing parallel to the plunger, and a series of contacts arranged in spaced relation endwise of said support to b engaged by said circuit controlling member as the plunger moves endwise and connected with the aforementioned terminals on the closure.

5. An electric timing mechanism including an integral housing closed at one end, a solenoid held frictionally in the housing, the housing acting as one leg of a magnetic circuit for the solenoid, a solenoid plunger movable in the solenoid, a circuit controlling member carried by said plunger, spring means acting to return the plunger to initial position when released, liquid controlled means actting to retard the return movement of the plunger, a liquid-tight closure of insulating material at the opposite end of the housing, a series of terminals carried by said closure, a supporting post of insulating material carried by said closure and extending inside the housing parallel to the plunger, and a series of contacts on said post in position to be engaged by said circuit controlling member as the plunger moves endwise and connected with the aforementioned terminals, said spring means acting to turn the plunger and hold the circuit controlling member against the post during endwise movement of the plunger.

6. An electric timing mechanism including a housing having a closed lower end of reduced cross-section affording a ledge at the top of said reduced portion, a supporting plate removably positioned on said ledge, a solenoid located within the housing and mounted on said supporting plate, 'a retaining plate held within the housing and engaging the upper end of said solenoid to hold the latter against said supporting plate, a solenoid plunger located entirely within the housing and movable in the solenoid, a tube in which said plunger travels,'said tube extending through central openings in the supporting and retaining plates, a circuit controlling member carried by the plunger, spring means acting to move the plunger upwardly to initial position when released, a closure of insulating material at the upper end of the housing, a series of terminals carried by said closure, a support of insulating material carried by said closure and extending inside the housing parallel to the plunger, a series of contacts arranged in spaced relation endwise of said support to be engaged by said circuit controlling member as the plunger moves endwise and connected with the aforementioned terminals on the closure, and liquid controlled means including a body of liquid covering said solenoid and acting to retard the upward movementpf the plunger, said supporting and retaining plates having peripheral openings permitting passage of said liquid therethrough.

7; An electric timing mechanism including a housing having-a closed lower end of reduced cross-section affording a ledge at the top of said reduced portion, a supporting plate removably positioned on said ledge, a solenoid located within the housing and mounted on said supporting plate, a retaining plate held within the housing and movable in the solenoid, a tube in which said plunger travels, said tube extending through central openings in the supporting and retaining plates, a circuit controlling member carried by the plunger, spring means acting to move the plunger upwardly to initial position when released, a closure of insulating material at the upper end of the housing, a series of terminals carried by said closure, a support of insulating material carried by said closure and extending inside the housing parallel to the plunger, a series of contacts arranged in spaced relation endwise of said support to be engaged by said circuit controlling member as the plunger moves endwise and connected with the aforementioned terminals on the closure, a body of liquid surrounding the solenoid and plunger, said supporting and retaining plates having peripheral openings permitting passage of the liquid therethrough, and a valve member positioned in said reduced lower end of the housing and held yieldably against the lower end of said tube and acting to permit quick movement of the liquid downwardly from the tube when the plunger travels downwardly and to retard movement of liquldinto the tube during the upward travel or the plunger.

8. An electric timing mechanism including a sitioned on said ledge, a solenoid located witifin the housing and mounted on said supporting plate, a retaining plate held within the housing and [engaging the upper end of said solenoid to hold the latter against said supporting plate, a solenoid plunger located entirely within the housing and movable in the solenoid, a tube in which said plunger travels, said tube extending through central openings in the supporting and retaining plates, a circuit controlling member carried by the plunger, spring means acting to move the plunger upwardly to initial position when released, a closure of insulating material at the upper end of the housing, a series of terminals carried by said closure, a support of insulating material carried by said closure and extending inside the housing parallel to the plunger, a series of contacts arranged in spaced relation endwise of said support to be engaged by said circuit controlling member as the'plunger moves endwise and connected with the aforementioned terminals on the closure, a body oi. liquid surrounding the solenoid and plunger, thev supporting and retaining plates ha ving peripheral openings to permit passage of the liquid therethrough, a spring seated at the bottom or the housing in said reduced portion, and a ball valve supported by said spring and held yieldably thereby against the lower end of said tube, said yieldable ball valve acting to permit quick movement of the liquid from the tube when the plunger travels downwardly and to retard movement of liquid into the tube when the plunger travels upwardly.

' LLOYD RI'I'IENHOUSE. 

